Daily Archives: January 23, 2013

Tonnie M. Blakely, 70, of Macclenny died on Sunday, January 20, 2013. Ms. Blakely was a sixty-year resident of Baker County and a member of the First United Methodist Church of Macclenny. For thirty three years, she was an administrative assistant and risk manager at Northeast Florida State Hospital and owned “A Touch of Spring” flower shop in Macclenny for ten years until it was sold to her “daughter-in-love” Brenda Kinghorn. She also was a receptionist for Dr. Garlon Webb in the Baker County school system, an active board member at Baker County Council on Aging, Fraser Hospital Authority and the Educational Foundation Board.

Mrs. Blakely was preceded in death by husband Clifford John Blakely Sr. She is survived by sons Clifford John “Blake” Blakely Jr. of Melbourne, Florida and James William “Jimmy” (Allison) Blakely of St. Augustine; “daughter-in-love” Brenda (Eric) Kinghorn of Glen St. Mary; sister Elizabeth Greene Taylor of Macclenny and five grandchildren.

Virgie Croft Brinson, 83, of Lake City passed away on Saturday, January 19, 2013 following an extended illness. Mrs. Brinson was born in Baker County and lived in Columbia County since 1964 after moving there from Union County. Mrs. Brinson worked for 25-plus years for Aero (Timco) as a records clerk before retiring and in her spare time was an avid reader. She will always be remembered as a fantastic mother. Mrs. Brinson was a Baptist and was preceded in death by husband John L. Brinson, her father Johnnie Croft Sr., mothers Virgie Blitch Croft and Pearl Mikell Croft, and sister Anna Lou Baker.

Mrs. Brinson is survived by sons John David Brinson of West Palm Beach and Michael S. Brinson of Dawsonville, Georgia; daughter Joan B. Allen of Lake City; brother Johnnie Croft Jr. of Olustee; six grandchildren, eight great-grandchildren and other family members.

Karen D. Noblitt Alexander, 53, of Baker County, died on Wednesday, January 16, 2013 in Fort Lauderdale. She loved spending time at the beach in the sunshine and with her family and friends. Ms. Alexander is survived by sons Steve (Mandy) Noblitt of Glen St. Mary and Wayne (Adrianne) Noblitt of Abbeville, AL; daughters Christy (John) Rizer of Raiford, Angel Noblitt of Jacksonville and Ashlee (Jacob) Hodges of Sanderson; mother Joyce Wilson of Macclenny; sister Vicki (Marcus) Crosby; 15 grandchildren.

A memorial service was held at 1 pm on Monday, January 21 at Cornerstone Congregational Methodist Church in Macclenny with Pastor Mae White officiating. Forbes Funeral Home of Macclenny was in charge of arrangements.